Check-controlled mechanism



H. yM. WALKER CHECK CONTROLLED KEHAN SF Oct. 13

'- ATTORNEY.

Patented Oct. 13, 1925.

UNITED STATES,

1,556,650 PATENT OFFCE.

HARRY I. WALKER., OF NEW ORI-LEANS, LOUISIANA.

CHECK-CONTBIQLLED MECHANISI.

Applicatfbn tiled March 11, 1924. Serial No. 698,478.

.dated July 31, 1923, 4and it is an object of the invention to provide noveland improved means under check control for operating an endwise movable member, such as the operating rack for the iston comprised in a gasoline or kindred liquid vending machine.

-The invention consists in the details of construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts of my improved check controlled mechanism whereby certain important advantages are attained and the device r'endered simpler, less expensive anfotherwise more convenient and advantageous for use, as vwill be hereinafter more fully set forth.

The novel features of my invention will hereinafter' be definitely claimed.

In order that my invention may be the better understood, l'` will now proceed to describe'the saine with reference to the accompanying drawings, whereinzf Figure 1 is a fragmentary view in elevation illustrating a mechanism constructed in accordance with an embodiment of my invention and in applied osition;

Figure 2 is an en arged ragmentary view partly in section and partly in elevation illustrating my improved mechanism in detail;

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view of my improved mechanism illustrating certain of the parts in a second position;

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken sub# stantially on the line 4 4 of Figure 3;

y Figure 5 is a detailed sectional view taken substantially on the line 5-25 of Figure 3.

As disclosed in the accompanying draw` ings, 1 denotes the operatin rack or inember for the iston of a gasoline vending machine whic extends upwardly within a housing H. The to 2 of the housing H is provided with a tu ular de riding sleeve or guide member 3 through w ich the upper l portion of the rack or member 1 works during a delivery operation. The housin H is provided with a door li-adapted to be ocked m closed position, said door providing means whereby access may be had to the mechanism arranged within said housing H.l

Extending inwardly and downwardly of the housing H is a chute 5, the lower end portion of which communicates with the inner end portion of a substantially horizontally disposed runway 6. The inner end of the runway 6 is open to provide communication with the collecting receptacle 7 supported within the housing H and which receives the checks ejected from the runway 6 as will hereinafter be explained.

The top wall of the chute 5 immediately adjacent the runway 6 is cut away, as at a to facilitate the ejecting of the check C and the requisite coaction of said check with the holding means associated with the rack or holding member 1. The portion of the runwayf immediately below the lower end of the chute 5 is of restricted diameter, as is particularly illustrated in Figure 5, so that the check when received thei'ein is maintained in substantially' a vertical osi.- tion in order that said check may effectively perform the function desired.

Snugly Working within this restricted portion of the runway 6 is a plunger 8 which is constantly maintained at the limit of its inward movement by an expansible member 9. This member 9, as herein disclosed,. comprises a 4coil spring encircling the outwardly directed stem 10 carried by the plunger 8, said spring being interposed between theinner end of the plunger 8 and the cap 11 or the like closing the outer end of the runway 6. The stem 10 is of a length to extend exteriorly of the housing and said extended end portion is rovided with a knob 12 or the like to faci itate the desired manipulation of the plunger 8 and particularly to retract the same.

14 denotes a substantially V-shaped do having its apex portion pivotally supportetf, as at 15, by a side wall of the housing H, the arms of said dog alternately e the ratchet wheel 16. One of sai arms serves to hold the rack or member 1 against endwise movement in one direction and the second arm serves to hold the rack against endwise movement in the opposite direction. Extending outwardl from the pivoted or apex portion of the og 14 is an arm 1?.

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' Bearing againstthe outer end ofthe arm 17 is an end portion of an expansible spring 18, the opposite end of said ring bearing against a block 19 extending aterally from the lowerpart of the chute 5. This s ring 18 as the arm 17 passes beyond the orizontal center serves to maintain either of 'the Aarms of the dogl 14vin` proper enga ment with the teeth of thewhee'l 16where y the rack or member 1 is heldagainst endwise movement in one direction `yet free to move in the opposite direction until the secondo arm of the dog 14'is engaged with the teeth `the runway 6 in advance of the plunger 8 -so that as the check C forced under'. the roller 20, the lower arm of the dog 14 will be freed from the ratchet wheel 16 t'o' permit the rack to have upward endwise movement. During this movement, the second or upper arm of-the dog 14 is operatively engaged with the teeth of the ratchet wheel 1K6 tohold the same against reverse endwise movement. This position. of the dog 14 is maintainedby the spring 18 as the check C will coact withthe roller 20 to cause the arm 17 to be swung upwardly beyond a horizontal center. As --the check passes under -the roller.4 20,` it is received within the receptacle 7.

Engaged with the rack or'member 1 is a conventional gear or pinion 21 operated exteriorly of the housing H by the crank 22 or its equivalent. Extendin from the dog 14 towardthe rack or memer land substantially coplanar with the arm .17 is a spring arm 23. This arm 23.0verlies a side of the rack ormember 1 and is in the path of travel ofa pin 24 carried by the lower portion of -tlie' rack or member 1. As the rack or member 1 moves upwardly the pin 24 comes into contact with the spring arm 23 resulting in the upper arm of the dog 14 being disengaged from the wheel 16 and the lower arm of said dog engaged with said wheel 16 whereby the rack or member 1 is held against further-upward movement or free to be moved in the reversed direction.

The pin 24 is adj ustably engaged with the member or rack 1 through the longitudinally disposed slot 25. By adjusting the position of the pin 24 lengthwise. of the ineinber or rack 1. the length of the upward stroke of the rack or member 1 may be regulated as desired so that the quantity of gasoline or other liquid delivered duringr the upward-movement of the rack or member .thetension of the spring or member 9 is 1 may be varied and particularly as may be necessitated by the cost or price of the gasoline or thelike.

With a glasoline station or the like equip ed wi a mechanism constructed. in acco alice with an embodiment of my inventioiL'ithe station may` be operated upon Vthe deposit of a coin of desired value within the chute 5 so that a customer can help himself without the assistance of an attendant and which is particularly desirable during the hours.when -it is not convenient for the owner to have his place of business open.

It is tobe understood that after the check or coin C is deposited in the chute 5, the plunger 8 is moved by pull upon the stein 10 a distance sutlicient to permit thecheck to 'drop in the runway 6 in advance of the plunger 8. vThe stem A10 is then released and suilicient to force the-check or coin C u n'der vthe roller 20' and thereby operate the dog 14 to permit the rack or member 1 to be moved upwardly upon requisite operation gf the operating member Orcrank 22.

When the dog 14 is moved into a neutral position or in a `position with both of the arms free from the wheel, the pump can be operated without the use of the check controlled mechanism. A

As is particularl Y illustrated in Figure 4, the wheel 16 and t ie gear or inion 21 are fixed to a common shaft 26 with the wheel 16 positioned to 'one side `of the member or rack 1 4and overlying said side face.

It is also to be noted that the free extremities 14' of the arms of the dogs 14 are disposed on slight. inward curvatures so as to have more effective engagemen with the wheel 16.

As'particulai'ly illustrated in Fi ure 4 the wheel 16 oveilies one of the side aces o the rack 1, while the arm 23 overlies the opposite face of the rack, and it is apparent by this arrangement that the wheel 16 and arm 23 not only perform the hereinbefore referred functions but, also serve to provideY further 'means to prevent lateral play of the rack.

From the foregoing description it is thought to be obvious that a check controlled mechanism constructed in accordance with my invention is particularly well adapted for use by reason of the convenience and facility with which it ma f be assembled and operated. and it.. will also be obvious that my invention is susceptible of some change und modification without departing from the principles and Spirit thereof and for this reason l do not wish to be undeistood :is limiting myself to the precise arrangement. and formation of the several parts herein :shown in carizvingrr out my invention in practice except as hereinafter claimed.

I claim:-

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A the face of' the pump rod remote from ftheswinging the with a. rack pump rod a manuallyoperated pinion'actuating the pump rod,- a.- toothed wheel rotatingwith the pinion; said toothed wheel being of .a diameter to overlie one of the facesrof the pump rod, `a substanf tially v'v -shaped .dog plvotally supported opposite the 'pinion and 'adjacent-the pump rod, `the arms,.of the dog alternately'engag'- ingthe toothed wheel, an arm secured 'to the lapex portion of fthe dog 'and overlying toothed wheel, check controlled means for dog -in one direction, and means" carried vby the pump rod for swingo posite direction. 2. .In combination for a gasoline tankrismanually operated .Pinion actuatin the wheel carried`. y an vpump rod, a substantially V-shav with a. vrack pump rod ump rodja toothed' rotating with the pinion,`said toothed wheel being of a diameter to` overlie one Aof the faces of the p ed dog pivotally supported adjacent/to an on the opposite side of. the pump rod from the Emion, the axes of the dog and pinion eing aligned in a direction transverse of the pump rod, the -arms of the dog a1- ternately engaging the toothed -wheel, an arm secured to the a ex portion of the do and overlying the ace of the pump 'ro remote from the toothed wheel, check controlled means for swinging the dog in one directionband means carriedl by the pump rodfr swinging the dog in the opposite direction.' Y

In testimony whereoil I` hereunto athx my signature.

HARRY M.l WALKER 

